Axminster spool winder



Nov. 2, 194'.y c. c. BLOM AXMINSTER SPOOL WINDER Filed March 11, 1940 V3 Sheets-Sheet 1 /N VENTO R WWA Cfr-Eh.

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ATTORNEY I NOV. 2, 1943. C. Q BLQM 2,333,408

AxMINsTR sPooL WINDER F11ed March 11, 1940 :s sheets-sheet 2 ATTORNEI Nov. 2,v 1943. Q C; BLOM AXMINSTER sPooL WINDER Filed Mrch l1, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Nov. 2, 1.943

AXMIN STER SPOOL WINDER Conrad C. Blom, Longmeadow, Mass., asslgnor to Bigelow-Sanford Carpet Co. Ine., Thompsonville, Conn., a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 11, 1940, Serial No. 323,261

(Cl. .Z8-55.5)

1l Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for winding yarn and has for its object to provide novel mechanism for applying tension to the yarn during the Winding.

The winding of pile yarn on spools used in Axminster Weaving is particularly exacting with respect to the application of the proper amount of tension. The difliculty is due largely to the softness of the yarn and to a difference in tension between the overwinding and underwinding tionable high and low rows or excessive Waste if l the variation is trimmed. l

'I'he object of my' invention is to provide mechanism which uniformly tensions the yarn during the winding, whether overwinding or underwinding, and which thereby produces spools of uniform hardness. To that end I have provided a setting frame which preferably utilizes the torque in the driving mechanism in a novel way for applying at least a portion of the tensioning pressure of the winding rolls against the spool and which equalizes the pressure as between the several rolls, however applied.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a side elevation View of a machine 'embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line '2 2 of Fig. 1; v

Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the positions of the rolls andthe spool receiver during the winding operation, and

Fig. 4 is a detail vertical'section on the line 4-4 0f Fig. 2.

Referring first to Fig. 3, the yarn 2 to be woundl on the spool 4 is drawn in the direction shown by the arrow from a creel or supply (not shown) through the usual tension rollsvS, reed' and over the guide roll I0 to the spool or receiver 4. 'Ihe spool is peripherally .engaged and rotated by three driving rolls I2, I4 and IB preferably disposed at substantially equal intervals about the receiver. My. apparatus is adapted both to under- Wind and to overwind a spool for which purpose the yarn i's guided to the spool in the directions indicated respectively at IIIA and I 0B.

is applied to the yarn.

The roll I4 mounted on a shaft 20 'has a fixed axis and is adapted to be power rotated in one directionor the other for underwlnding or overwinding a spool, by mechanism to be referred to.

The substantially equidistant spacing of the rolls about theperiphery of the receiver shown in full lines in Fig. 3 at the beginning of the winding is preferably preserved until the winding is completed so that throughout the winding operation the yarn on thev spool is engaged at three substantially equidistant points at which tension To permit divergence of the rolls as the spool fills, while preferably preserving the equdistant spacing, and also to aid in the application of pressure, the rolls I2 and I6 are preferably both mounted on movable axes. The roll I6 is mounted on a shaft 22, one end of which is carried by a crank Varm 26 (see also Fig. l) mounted to rotate about the axis of shaft 28 and the other end of which shaft 22 is mounted on a similar arm (not shown) rotating about the axis of the opposite end of shaft 28. By this means roll I6 is .adapted to be swung gradually from its full line position to its dotted line position indicated at Ilia, as the spool fills and thereby moves from its full line position to its dotted at 4a, the roll I2 is moved to its dotted line po- Y Y sition I2a.

After the winding of the spool has been completed the roll I2, now in its position I2a, is swung back about the axis of shaft 34 to the position I2b for access to the wound spool 4a to remove the same and replace it with an empty spool in the position indicated at 4.

Tension on the yarn during'winding is effected in part by differences in the speeds of the three winding rolls. In accordance with the preferred embodiment of my invention, when underwinding roll I6 is an idler, roll I4 is driven at a predetermined rate of speed and roll I2 is driven at a predetermined rate of speed that is faster than that of the roll I4. Conversely, for overwinding roll I2 is an idler, roll I4 is driven at a predetermined rate of speed and roll I6 is driven to rotate faster than roll I4. Thus, for either direction of wind the yarn is tensioned at three substantially equally spaced points Aabout the periphery ofthe receiver.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the machine has side frame members 50 and 52. Roll I2 is shown in Fig. 2 in a position intermediate its |2a and |2b positions (Fig. 3). The roll would not assume Vthis position during winding, but it has been shown therein for clarity of illustration. In Fig. 1` it is shown abutting an empty receiver. The cranks 32 which, as stated above, support opposite ends of the shaft 24 carrying roll |2, are extended to form housings for the gears 68 and 10, to be described. 'I'he cranks have circular hubs 56 received in bearings in the side 'frame members 50 and 52. The hubs 56 are apertured to form 'bearingsfor the shaft 34 which protrudes outwardly beyond the frame members 50 and 52. Adjacent its opposite ends the shaft 34 carries loosely mounted on it the sprockets 58. The hub of each of the sprockets 50 is connected as by a stud 14 to the hub 50 of the crank arm 32 so that the sprockets 58 and the cranks 32 rotate together about the axis of shaft 34.

Mounted on the left hand end of shaft 34, as viewed in Fig. 2, is a sprocket 02 which at times rotates shaft 34 and, by means of gears 08 and 10, the former fixed to shaft 34 and the latter fixed to shaft 24, imparts rotation to roll I2. In order that the sprocket 52 may at times drive roll |2 in this manner and at other times may permit idle rotation of roll I2 independently of the rotation of sprocket 02, the sprocket is connected to. the shaft 34V by means of a one-way clutch illustrated by a comparison of Figs. 2 and 4. Fixed to shaft,- 34 as by key 50 is the hub of a cap 03. vJournalled on the hub 0| is the hub of sprocket 52. Fixed to the sprocket 02 is a disk 01 having tapered slots 09 in its periphery which receive the rollers 1|. As sprocket 02 rotates :,counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig. 4, rollers 1| jam in tapered slots 09 so that rotation of disk 01 is imparted to cap 63 and thereby to shaft 34 to rotate roll I2 clockwise, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1. As stated above, the roll I5 is mounted ona Pair of cranks 20 at its opposite ends, one of which is indicated in Fig. 1. The cranks 20 ar'e rotatably mounted on shaft 23. The hubs of the cranks 20 areprovided with arms 82, for a purpose to be described, instead of sprockets correipondingi'to the""s'prockets 50 described with referenceto roll I2. The roll I0 is power rotated from sprocket 00 by gears 00 and 04 of which the former is connected by a one-way clutch indicated in dottedA lines to shaft 28 driven by sprocket 00 and the latter is xed to shaft 22 which carries roll I0. The one-way clutch drives roll I0 counterclockwise and lets it idle clockwise.

The xed foil I4 is secured to shaft 20 on one end or`whn n is secured a driving sprocket sl.

Power for rotating the three rolls is derived from the shaft 02 connected by pinion 04 and' gear 00 to shaft 00 on which is secured sprocket |00.v A sprocket chain |02 passes in driving'ensagement with sprocket |00, with sprocket 00 fixed to the shaft 20 of roll I4, with sprocket 02 on the shaft 34 from which roll I2 is driven and with sprocket 00 on the shaft 20 from which roll I0 is driven. 'I'he power source is reversible to drive the rolls selectively in a direction t0 underwind a receiver, in which the chain and gears rotate in the directions shown by arrows in Fig. l, or selectively in the overwind direction where the chain and gears rotate in directions vOpposite to those shown. In underwinding a spool, roll I0 idles because of the one-way clutch above noted, roll I4 is power driven and roll I2 is driven to rotate faster than roll 20. F01 overwinding roll l2 idles because of its one-way clutch, roll I4 is power driven and roll I5 is driven to rotate faster than roll 20.

-Each'of the sprockets 58 which, as above described, are fixed to the hubs 50 of the cranks 32 on winch roll I2 is mounted, is connected by a chain H0, one of which is shown in Fig. l. to a corresponding sprocket 2 fixed to shaft I I4 (see also Fig. 2). The chain passes around an idler sprocket 39 loose on shaft 20.

Loosely mounted on opposite ends of the shaft ||4 are cranks I I3 having hubs |20 journalled on the shaft. For a purpose to be described, it is desirable at times to connect sprockets l| I2 with crank hubs |20 so they rotate together and at other times to disconnect them. For this purpose I employ, on each side of the machine, a pin |30 passing through an aperture |32 in a hub |33 which is coaxial with shaft I I4 and is journalied in the side frame member. The pin also passes through aligned apertures |34 and |30 in the sprocket I|2 and hub |20 of crank ||0. To urge the pins |30 yieldingly into locking position through the apertures |34 and |30, I provide a compression spring |40 secured between a collar |40 fixed to pin |30 and a collar |40 fixed to shaft II4. Retraction of the pin |30 .from the recesses |34 and` |30 is manually effected by means of a collar |50 slidably mounted on shaft a ring |01 siidably received by a groove in collar |50. VTo operate the right hand pin |30, collar |50 is connected by link |10 to a rock arm pivoted at |14 to shaft ||4 and connected by link |10 to the right hand pin |30.

The cranks ||0 (Fig. 1) are connected by links |24 to the aforesaid cranks 02 fixed to the hubsreceived within the cylinder |90 and actuated pneumatically, hydraulically, or as desired.

In apparatus constructed as above described, I I utilize the torque developed by the gears which drive the rolls for automatically applying pres-` sure between the rolls and the spool. Thus,

when unwinding a spool, the yarn is delivered in A lthe position |0A (Fig. 3) and the power source 02 is rotated to effect clockwise drive of the rolls |4 and |2 at the speeds above indicated and to eect idle rotation ofthe roll |0 which initially engages the yarn as it passes to the receiver 4. The roll I I2 being mounted on crank 32 can move toward or away from the receiver 4. The rotation of the gear 00 about the axis of shaft 34 not only drives roll I2 about its axis, but also creates a torque on the crank arm 32 tending to rotate the crank counterclockwise about shaft 34 as an axis and thereby pressing roll I2 against the spool. The

amount of this torque pressure depends uponthe resistance to rotation encountered by the roll |2. The softness of the yarn being wound on the spool 4 causes sufficient resistance to rotation of the roll I2 so that a considerable amount of produced. As, the spool gradually fills. forcing vthe roll I2 upwardly toward its I2a position (Fig.

3)',xa condition in which pumness of the spool would occur in the conventional setting frame, the resistance to turning of the roll increases and thereby its pressure against the spool increases as is desired to `eliminate such puness.

As the roll I2 is thus forced against the spool 4 bythe torque derived from its driving mechanism, it also rotates sprockets 58 (Fig. 2) xed to the "'hubs of cranks 32 on which roll I2 is mounted. By means of lchains IIO, sprockets II2 are rotated which, being connected by pins |30 to the hubs |20 of cranks |I8, rotate those cranks. Links |24 thereby move downwardly as viewed in Fig. 1 to draw downwardly on cranks 82 fixed to the hubs carrying the cranks 26 in which the bearings for roll I6 are journalled. As a result of those connections, the torque in the mechanism driving roll I2 is effective not only to press roll I2 against the spool, but also to force roll I6 against the spool with an equal amount f pressure. l

After the spool has been wound in an under- `winding direction, top roll I2 `is moved from its |2a to its I2b position for removal of the full spool and replacement by an empty one. For that purpose hubs |20 and sprockets II2 are rst disconnected from each other by retracting their locking pins |30 and this is effected as above described by manipulating the lever |66. Thereafter the motivating fluid is admitted to cylinder |96 to move rack |92 upwardly and rotate shaft I|4 clockwise as viewed in Fig. 1. This is effective to displace the roll I2 to its I2b position. It I is automatically stopped when its extreme I2b position is reached.

A fresh spool is then inserted and after the yarn has been wrapped about it manually, the roll I2 is brought back to its full line position of Fig. 3 to commence the next winding operation. This is eiected in an obvious manner by lowering the piston in cylinder |96. Thereafter sprockets II2 and hubs |20 are again locked together by re-insertion of pins |30 in their aligned apertures through elevation of hand lever |66. To aid in aligning these apertures, I provide a pin 23| (Fig. l) against which crank II8 comes to rest when rolls I2 and I6 are in their proper positions Yfor starting the winding.

To overwind a spool the yarn is introduced in its dotted line IOB position of Fig. 3 and the power shaft 92 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction to move the chain |02 and the sprockets with which it is connected in the directions contrary to those shown by the arrows. In this direction of drive roll I4 is driven counter-clockwise, desirably-at the same peripheral speed that it was driven clockwise for underwinding, roll I2 is an idler. and roll I6 is driven counterclockwise at a peripheral speed greater than that of Ithe roll I4 and preferably at the speed that roll I2 was driven for underwinding.

In this overwinding direction the resistance to rotation of the power driven roll I6 creates a pressure-applying torque which presses roll I6 against the spool 4 in the manner above described for roll I2 when underwinding, This pressure is transmitted through crank 82, links I 24, sprockets II2 and chains IIO to sprockets 58 to urge the latter and the roll I2 in a counter-clockwise direction aboutthe axis of shaft 34 to press roll I2 against the spool in the same amount as the roll I6 is pressed.l

istructed in accordance with the preferred em- It is thus apparentl that in a machine conbodiment of my inventi'on tne two movable axis rolls are yieldingly pressed against'the spool in an equal amount which is determined partly by by varying the difference in speeds between thesey rolls. This can be eiected in an obvious manner by replaceable sprockets or change gears. The amount of pressure is substantially the same for both of the movable axis rolls and it may be obtained without the use of springs, weights or other mechanism employed in the past for the purpose which add to the costliness and cumbersomeness of the machine.

My invention is not to be limited to the preferred embodiment above described which can be variously modied within the scope of the appended claims. Thus, the same torque effect can be obtained by the use of a chain drive instead of the gear trains herein described. For removing the roll I2 to its I2b position for removal of a full spool a hand crank attached to shaft ||4 can be'employed, but if a piston is used provision should be made, in an obvious manner, for escape of the motivating fluid during such rotation `oi shaft II4 as occurs when pins |30. are in locking position and rolls I2 and I6 are running. Although I have described the machine as deriving the pressure entirely from the torque of the driving mechanism, this can be supplemented or otherwise modied by the use of auxiliary pressure applying Ior opposing apparatus of conventional character. In the mechanism illustrated I could effectively employ cylinder |96 and its connections to shaft ||4 as such auxiliary.means. Whatever modification is used, my invention assures that the pressure is equally applied by both of the movable axis rolls and is the same for overwinding and underwinding.

II claim:

1. In a machine for winding yarn on a receiver, apparatus for rotating the receiver to wind yarn thereon including a roll disposed in peripheral engagement with the receiver, a crank on which said roll is mounted adapted to permit movement of the axis of the roll away from the axis .of the receiver during the winding, a drive for 4 -rotation of the roll when the., driver rotates in the reverse direction.

2. In a machine for Winding yarn on a receiver, a pair of rolls adapted to rotate the receiver by peripheral contact therewith to wind yarn thereon, a pivoted crank for each of said rolls adapted to permit movement of the axis of its roll toward and away from the axis of the receiver, a rotating driver lfor each of said rollsr mounted on a shaft that islsubstantially parallel with the axis of its roll and in proximity to the pivot for its crank, a connection between each roll and its driver so that one roll is driven clockwise and the other counterclockwise by its driver when the driver rotates in a direction to create a torque which presses the crank toward the receiver and so that each roll idles when its driver rotates in the reverse direction, and a connection between said cranks by which torque pressure of either crank toward the receiver when its roll is being driven eiects a substantially equal pressure of the other crank toward the receiver when its roll idles.

3. The device as defined in claim 2 in which each of the drivers is mounted co-/axially of the pivot for the crank carrying the roll which it drives? 4. The device as defined in claim 2 which includes a reversible power source connected to both of said drivers.

5. In a machine for winding yarn on a receiver, the combination of three winding rolls adapted, by peripheral engagement with the receiver, to rotate the receiver selectively in an overwinding or underwinding direction, the first and last rolls engaged by the yarn as' it passes to the receiver in either the overwinding or underwinding direction ,being mounted on pivoted cranks to permit movement of those rolls toward and away 'from the periphery of the receiver, driving means for each of said crank mounted rolls effective to drive the last roll engaged by the yarn as it passes around the receiver in either the overwinding or underwinding direction and effective to permit idle rotation of the rst roll engaged by the yarn in either direction of rotation, said driving means for each crank mounted roll being adapted to rotate in a direction to create a torque which vpresses the roll when driven against the periphery of the receiver,` and a connection between said cranks to effect pressure of the idle roll against the receiver. i

6. `A machine for winding yarn on a receiver including three rolls disposed successively around and in peripheral engagement with the receiver to wind yarn thereon, a crank on which one of said rolls is mounted, a pivot for the crank adapted to permit movement of the axis of-the roll toward and away from the axis of the receiver, a drive for rotating said roll including a rotating driver mounted on a shaft having an axis spaced from and substantially parallel to the axis of said roll and in alignment with said pivot, a driving connection between the driver and the lroll to drive'the roll with the driver rotating in a direction to urge the crank and roll toward the receiver, at least one other of said rolls beingl -power driven and there being a predetermined diierence in peripheral speed between two successive power driven rolls which induces an effort by said driver suflicient to create a. torque press' ing the roll carried by the crank against'A the receiver.

7. The device as defined in claim 2 in which each of said drivers is mounted in proximity to the pivot for the crank carrying the roll which it drives.

8. A machine for winding yarn on a receiver including three rolls disposed successively around and in peripheral engagement with the receiver to wind yarn thereon, a crank on which one of said rolls is mounted, a pivot for the crank adapted to permit movement of the axis of thev roll toward and away from the axis of the receiver, a drive for rotating said roll including a rotating driver mounted cn a shaft having an axis spaced fromrsthe axis of said roll and in alignment with said pivot, a driving connection between the driver and the roll to drive the roll with the driver' rotating in a direction to urge the crank and roll toward the receiventhe roll next preceding said crank mounted roll being driven acca-ros at a predetermined peripheral speed which is less than that at which said crank mounted roll is driven to induce an effort by said driver suilicient to create a torque which presses the roll, carried by the crank, against the receiver.

9.1A machine for winding yarn on a receiver including three rolls, disposed successively around and in peripheral engagement with the receiver, two of said rolls being driving rolls to wind yarn on said receiver, a crank on which one of said driving rolls is mounted adapted to permit movement of the axis of the roll away from the axis of the receiver during the winding, a. drive for .rotating said roll including a rotating driver mounted on a shaft spaced from and substan.

a torque on said crank to press the crank and-r roll toward the receiver. and means in said connection operative when the driver rotates in the reverse direction to effect idle rotation of said roll. Y i Y 10. A machine for winding yarn on a receiver including three rolls disposed successively around and in peripheral engagement with the receiver to wind yarn thereon selectively in an overwinding or an underwinding direction, the iirst and third of which' rolls are mounted on pivoted cranks permitting movement of those rolls toward and away from the periphery of the receiver, driving means for the first roll including a rotating driver mounted on a shaft having an axis substantially in alignment with the pivot for its crank and a driving connection between the driver and said roll which rdrives the roll in a direction to underwind the receiver while si- 'multaneously effecting rotation of the crank to press the roll against the receiver andrwhich permits idl rotation of said roll when the receiver rotates in an overwinding direction, driying means for said third roll including a rotating driver mounted on a shaft having an axis substantially in alignment with the pivot for its crank and a driving connection between the driver and said third roll whichdrives said roll in a direction contrary to that in which said first roll is driven to overwind the receiver while simultaneously effecting rotation of the crank to press the third roll` againstthe, receiver and which permits -idle rotation of said third roll whenI the receiver rotates in an underwinding direction, and a'connection between said cranks roll when said first roll is driven urges the third roll against'the receiver when the third roll idles and rotation of the crank for the third roll when said third roll is driven urges the iirst roll against the receiver when the iirst roll idles.

11. A machine for winding'yarn on a receiver including three rolls disposed successively around and in peripheral engagement with the receiver to wind yarn thereon selectively in an overwinding or an underwinding direction, the first and third of which rolls are mounted on pivoted cranks permitting movement of those rolls toward and away from the periphery of the recelver, driving means for the first roll including a rotating driver mounted on a shaft having an axis substantially in alignment with the pivot fOr lts Crank and a driving connection between the driver and said roll which drives the roll in a' direction to underwind the receiver while simultaneously effecting rotation of the crank to press the roll against the receiver and which permits idle rotation of said roll when the receiver rotates in an overwinding direction, t driving means for said third roll lincluding a rotating driver mounted on a shaft having an axis substantially in alignment with the pivot for its crank and. a. driving connection between the driver and said third roll which drives said roll in a direction contrary to that in which said first roll is driven' to overwind the receiver while si' multaneously eilecting rotation of the crank to press the third roll against the receiver and which permits idle rotation oi said thirdroll when the receiver rotates in an underwinding direction, means toy drive said second roll selectively in an overwinding or an underwinding direction at a an overwinding direction to .create an eiTort inl the driving connections to said irst and third rolls when driven which enhances the pressureapplying rotation of said cranks, and a connection between said cranks by which said rotation o! the crank for the rst roll when said rst roll is driven urges the third roll against the receiver when the third roll idles and rotation of the crank for the third roll when said third roll is driven urges .therst roll against the receiver when the rst'rolll'idles.

CONRAD C. BLOM. 

